Sea Bass with Spiced Lentils and Roasted Carrot Salsa

• 500gcarrots, cut into 2cm pieces
• 1red onion, cut into wedges
• 300gcherry tomatoes
• 20gflat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 30mllemon juice
• 2gfinely grated lemon zest
• 4 tbspolive oil
• 300ggreen lentils, rinsed
• 2celery sticks, finely diced
• 3garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspsweet smoked paprika
• 900mlvegetable stock
• 4skin-on sea bass fillets, about 120g each, pin-boned
• Fine salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 220°C fan. Put the carrots, red onion and cherry tomatoes on a large roasting tray, toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper, then roast for 35 minutes until the carrots are tender with deeply browned edges and the tomatoes have collapsed.
2. 2While the vegetables roast, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the celery for 5 minutes until softened and glossy, then add the garlic, cumin and smoked paprika for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. 3Tip in the lentils and vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer, then cook uncovered for 25 minutes until the lentils are tender but still holding their shape.
4. 4Drain the lentils if there is more than a few spoonfuls of stock left in the pan. Return them to the saucepan, season well and cover to keep warm.
5. 5Scrape the roasted vegetables and all their juices into a bowl. Stir through the parsley, lemon zest and half the lemon juice, then season until the salsa is sweet, sharp and savoury.
6. 6Pat the sea bass dry and season the flesh side. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat until it shimmers.
7. 7Lay the fillets skin-side down and press them gently for 20 seconds so the skin makes full contact with the pan. Cook for 4 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden, then turn and cook for 1-2 minutes until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily at the thickest part.
8. 8Spoon the warm lentils onto four plates, pile the roasted carrot salsa alongside and set the sea bass on top, skin-side up. Squeeze over the remaining lemon juice.

Per serving

kcal

603

protein

44.4g

fibre

14.2g

carbs

67.6g

fat

18.1g